Sweet Misery
by Chibi and Raven
Summary: AU - Sakura, Tomoyo, and Meiling are stuck on a ferry with Syaoran, Eriol, and Meing Yi... Will they survive with their common sense and their hearts in tact?Please R&R! We worked hard on this! ^-^


"Sweet Misery"  
By:  
Oo~ChibiSakuraAvalon~oO   
and   
*~Raven Love~*  
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Disclaimer: CCS is owned by CLAMP and Kadonsha.  
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Author's Notes:   
  
Raven-hime: Okay... ano... this is the first fic for me and Chibi-san to actually do *and post* together, so we can't wait to see the feedback! ^-^ Oh! And just so you know, in our fic, the "ferry" end up seeming more like a ship than a real ferry... onegai, it's still a really good story, so just bare with us! ^^;;;;  
  
Chibi-san: Yeah! This is also Raven-hime's first AU fic.  
  
Raven-hime: Hey! I told you not to say that! =(  
  
Chibi-san: Oh... yeah... gomen ne... ^^;;;;;  
  
Raven-hime: *ANYWAYS* - ! This chapter is in the girls' POV's and the next one will be in the boys'! ^-^  
  
Chibi-san: ... o_o ... Oh! And just so you know, this is E+T, S+S, and M+M. ^-^  
  
Raven-hime: M&M's?! Were?! *looks for M&M's* WHERE ARE THEY?! *spots Chibi-san and sees her as a giant M&M* There you are! Here Em-en-em... I won't hurt you. I promise! *chases M&M*  
  
Chibi-san: AHHHHHH! I'M NOT AN M&M!!!!!!! *runs straight to the fic*   
  
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Character Key:  
Oo~Sakura~oO  
*~Meiling~*  
$~Tomoyo~$  
Oo-Syaoran-oO  
*-Meing Yi-*  
$-Eriol-$  
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Chapter One  
  
  
  
  
  
Oo~Sakura~oO  
  
Tomoyo and I waited outside Meiling's apartment in my old, beat-up, green pick-up truck. I honked the horn again, and Meiling finally ran out, dragging a huge, red bag.  
  
She tossed it in the bed and hopped in between Tomoyo and I.  
  
"It's about time," I said, backing out.  
  
"Sorry," Meiling said. I started speeding after I checked the time.  
  
"Sakura! We only have two minutes to catch the ferry!" Tomoyo shouted, buckling up.  
  
I saw it up ahead. It was starting to detach from the dock.  
  
I stepped on the gas and we went flying.  
  
Meiling and Tomoyo began to scream, and we landed on the ferry with a 'thud'.  
  
I peeked an eye open, and people were staring at us. I opened the door and got out.  
  
"Staring is rude," I said, beginning to hook the truck down.  
  
Meiling and Tomoyo got out as three people behind us began to snicker.  
  
We turned to look at them, and there stood three guys.  
  
"What are you laughing at?!" Meiling demanded.  
  
"You guys," said a guy with black hair and reddish-gold eyes.  
  
"Why are we so funny?" Tomoyo asked, crossing her arms.  
  
"Yeah! I mean, have you looked in the mirror lately?" I said, rolling my eyes.  
  
A brunette with brown eyes sat on the hood of my truck.  
  
"Come one, now. No need to be hateful," he said with a smirk.  
  
"We should all just get along. You're all so cute, and we're all so single," said a blue-haires, blue-eyed guy with glasses.  
  
"Maybe you guys can *stay* single and we can *stay* cute," Tomoyo said. I giggled as the brunette hopped down from the hood.  
  
He put a hand on my arm.  
  
"So, what's your name?" he asked, still smirking.  
  
"Kinomoto Sakura. You?" I said, looking away from him.  
  
"Syaoran."  
  
I glanced at hime.  
  
"Well, Syaoran. I hate to be leaving you, but we really must go. I hope I don't see you throughout to rest of the ferry ride. Goodbye!" I wrenched my arm away from him and Tomoyo. Meiling, and I hurried to our room.  
  
  
  
  
*~Meiling~*  
  
I spent the night sitting up, helpless to my insomnia while Sakura and Tomoyo slept peacefully. Before long, the silence was deafening, only being broken by light snores and mumbles every now and then.  
  
I carefully climbed out of bed and stumbled through the darkness until I found the door knob. I squinted against the rising sun as I walked out on deck. Finding a secluded spot, I leaned over the railing, watching dolphins dive in and out of the sky's reflection in the water.  
  
"Beautiful, ne?"  
  
I stood straight up, feeling every muscle in my body tense as I turned to see who it was.  
  
It was the black-haired boy from earlier. His dark, reddish-gold eyes looked tired and his hair was mussed.  
  
I sighed in relief and turned back to the water. I knew I *had* to look at least ten times worse than he did for the simple fact that my long, raven hair had been left down, instead of its usual pigtails, and I hadn't bothered brushing it before comeing out onto deck.  
  
I watched, dolphins jumping alongside the ferry before diving back under and disappearing beneath us.  
  
Noticing the boy was still there, I decided to answer is question. "Hai," I said, laying my head on my hands.  
  
"Nani?" he asked.  
  
"I said: Yes... it's very beautiful," I repeated, looking at him. "The sunrise and the dolphins, I mean. It's a very beautiful sight, don't you agree?"  
  
He smiled. "By the way," he said after a few minutes of silence had passed, "my name's Meing Yi. May I ask what yours is?" He was so polite in contrast to the way he'd laughed at us earlier.  
  
I took a minute to think before answering. "Meiling," I said at last. I almost laughed at how similar our names were, but I didn't. I kept quiet and didn't smile. It wasn't costomary in my family to smile - or even talk to strangers.  
  
As if reading my mind, he scooted a little closer to me and shot me another award-winning grin. "Not a real talker, are you, Meiling?" he asked, taking another side-step toward me.  
  
I shook my head. "No. Not when I'm tired. Besides, I don't think I'd be a very interesting conversationalist," I said, standing straight. I started to walk away when I felt a strong, yet gentle, hand grab my arm.  
  
"Huh?" I turned to look back at him. "What?" I asked tersely.  
  
"No goodbye?" he asked, pretending to be hurt.  
  
I sighed and rolled my eyes. He was *really* starting to get on my nerves. "Fine... have a lovely day, Meing Yi. If you need me, I'll be sleeping and - or eating due to the fact that I'm an insomniac, my bestfriends snore, and I'm starving to death whilst aboard this tug boat," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Now, if you'll please excuse my ever so rude exit, I must be leaving you now. Goodbye." I grabbed the seams of my pajama pants and curtsied before storming away.  
  
  
  
  
$~Tomoyo~$  
  
I woke up to a door being slammed and watched Meiling stand in front of the mirror practically ripping at her hair with her brush.  
  
"Meiling...?" I asked groggily.  
  
She looked at me.  
  
"He is so stupid! I can't stand him! I hate him so much! I hate you too, you know. You can wake up and still look gorgeous!"  
  
"Wait. What?" I asked, getting out of bed. Meiling furiously put her hair up in her customary buns.   
  
"Meing Yi is *so* stupid!" Meiling shouted, then stormed out of our room.  
  
I looked at myself in the mirror. What was she talking about? I looked horrible.  
  
I changed, brushed my hair, and left Sakura to sleep.  
  
I walked out on deck, headed toward the breakfast table and got a doughnut and some orange juice.  
  
I sat down by myself at a small, two-person table and took a bite out of my doughnut.  
  
I went to take a drink of my orange juice, but someone picked it up and sat down across from me. I looked up and saw the blue-haired boy from earlier.  
  
He took a drink from my juice and took a bite out of a bagel.  
  
"Good morning," he said.  
  
"Ohayo," I replied, taking another bite of my doughtnut.  
  
"Lovely day."  
  
"I s'pose."  
  
I took my juice from him and drank the rest of it. He just stayed silent.  
  
"I'm Tomoyo," I said.  
  
"Eriol."  
  
I smiled sweetly at him as I finished my doughnut. I stood up and he followed me out on deck.  
  
"So where are you headed?" he asked as we both leaned over the rail.  
  
"Italy. You?"  
  
"Same."  
  
"Honto ne?"  
  
"Hai."  
  
"Sugoi!"  
  
"I guess. Maybe we'll come across eachother a few times after we get there, ne?"  
  
"It's quite possible."  
  
"Tomoyo-chan! Don't talk to him!" I turned around, and Sakura had a horror-stricken look on her face.  
  
"Why?" I asked.  
  
"Because... because I said so!"  
  
I giggled.  
  
"I'll talk to you later, Eriol-kun," I said, walking backwards toward my friends as I waved at Eriol.  
  
  
  
  
Oo~Sakura~oO  
  
I glared at Tomoyo as I told her the many resons she should stay away from Eriol.  
  
"Sakura-chan," she said, interrupting me in the throws of a great debate with myself.  
  
"Nani, Tomoyo-chan?" I asked, slightly irritated.  
  
"What's the *real* reason you don't want me to talk to Eriol-kun?" she asked, a malicious smile crossing her face.  
  
I opened my mouth to answer, but quickly shut it again. Without any further discussion, I brushed past Tomoyo.  
  
"Sakura-chan, where're ya going?" Meiling asked, passing me as I left.  
  
"Walking!" I yelled, not stopping. I kept my eyes on the ground as I stormed back to my room. I slammed the door and closed my eyes, letting myself fall backwards onto my bed. My head fell lightly onto a soft, warm pillow.  
  
After a minute, I got uncomfortable. I moved my pillow a little further under me, hugging part of it to my chest as I tried to fall asleep and forget the day.  
  
I squeezed the fabric of the pillow case under my hand. It felt oddly like denim or blue jeans. The smell of men's cologne lingered in the air, but I dismissed it as my imagination. I kept my eyes closed and struggled to make my mind shut down so I could sleep.  
  
I almost made it to sleep when my pillow began to slowly move out from under me. I yanked it back into place and mumbled a curse word when it tried to get away again.  
  
"Damn pillow!" I yelled, slamming my fist into it as hard as I could.  
  
I heard a loud yelp and quickly opened my eyes. I looked down at where my pillow had been to see a pair of jean-covered legs under me. I screamed and jumped to my feet, scooting across the room against the wall.  
  
"Syaoran! You baka! Wat the HELL are you doing here?!" I screamed, gasping for air.  
  
Syaoran quickly regained his composure and stood from where he'd been sitting on my bed.  
  
"Well?!"   
  
"Waiting for you," he answered simply, crossing the room to me.  
  
I glared at him and turned to leave.  
  
He blocked me with one arm. "You remembered my name," he said, smiling down at me."  
  
"I'd like to forget it," I mumbled, turning the other wayonly to find I was trapped. I turned back to face him, frustrated. "Are you going to let me go or what?!" I asked, putting my hands on my hips.  
  
"Why would I do that?" he asked slyly. "I'm just beginning to have fun."  
  
I froze as his face came closer to mine. I could smell the peppermint on his breath, mixed with the intoxicating aroma of his cologne. Before I knew what was happening, I was met with a pair of soft, warm lips on mine.  
  
I pulled back, but there was no escape. I tried to push him away, but he caught my wrists in one fist, pinning them against the wall above my head while his other hand wrapped around my waist, pulling me close against him.  
  
After a minute, I gave up the fight and, unwillingly, melted into the kiss.  
  
He released my hands, which found their way to the back of his neck, pulling him deeper into the kiss.  
  
His arms snaked around my waist, pulling me still closer against him.  
  
Before the kiss could esclate further, we were interrupted by a giggle and someone screaming.  
  
"OHMIGOD! SAKURA?! Wh-wh-wh-wh... WHAT ARE YOU-?!"  
  
I broke away from Syaoran's hold and sat on my bed, quickly wiping my mouth to rid it of the toxic kiss. My face was flushed a light pink, I could tell by the heat in my cheeks.  
  
Tomoyo smiled and supressed a giggle as she beamed brilliantly at me and Syaoran. I just knew she was thinking "how kawaii!".  
  
Meiling struggled not to scream again as she glared at us viciously.  
  
"Well, ladies," Syaoran said at last, "it's been fun, but I must be going. Sakura-chan, I'll see you around," he said, winking in my direction.  
  
I glared back at him. "Don't count on it," I mumbled angrilly. Inwardly I was cursing every fiber of his being - all the way from his deep, mysterious brown eyes to the tips of his toes. I dared myself not to think of what lie inbetween.  
  
With that, he left, a smile spread across his face triumphantly.  
  
Meiing and Tomoyo turned to me for answers.  
  
  
  
  
*~Meiling~*  
  
"Well?!" I prodded angrilly.  
  
"Well... what?" Sakura asked.  
  
"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!"   
  
"I... I..."  
  
"Just forget it," I said. I stomped out of the room, away from a giggling Tomoyo and a blushing, speechless Sakura.  
  
I started walking quicker, and I bumped into someone.  
  
"Gomen," I apologized, but I wanted to take it back when I saw who it was. "Meing Yi, get out of my way!" I said, angrilly.  
  
"What's wrong? Is wittle Meiwing upset?"  
  
"I'm going to hit you," I said.  
  
"Then hit me," he said. I balled up my fist and aimed for his jaw, but he caught it.  
  
I quickly pulled my hand away from him and stormed away.  
  
"ANCHORING!"  
  
The anchor began to lower and a scratchy rope slowly pulled at my ankle, the tugged my down before I had the chance to get free.  
  
I heard someone screaming before I plunged under, but then I realized it was me.  
  
I felt something working the rope loose from my ankle, and closed my eyes, almost unconcious.  
  
I felt strong arms warp around me and pull me up to the surface. I was too weak to move, to open my eyes, to speak.  
  
I could feel myself being laid down on the deck. Someone opened my mouth and placed theirs over it.  
  
My body suddenly regained it's strength, and I reached up and slapped whoever it was with their mouth on mine.  
  
I sat up and started hacking out water.  
  
"Dammit..." I muttered.  
  
"Daijabu desu ka?" someone asked.  
  
"Hai," I answered.  
  
I opened my eyes and saw Meing Yi on his knees next to me.  
  
"Are you sure?" he asked.  
  
I suddenly felt angry at him. "Yeah, I'm peachy," I snapped, standing up.  
  
Meing Yi grabbed my hand and pulled me down. I landed on his lap.  
  
"God dammit, Meing Yi-!"  
  
I was cut off by his lips pressing against mine.  
  
I pulled away and spalled his hard, then stood up and ran off.  
  
I got in Sakura's truck and slammed the door. I locked the doors and turned on the radio. Loud.  
  
People stared as they walked by. I just glared at them and they went back about their business.  
  
How could he kiss me like that?! How dare him!  
  
I slammed my fist on the dash board, and rested my head on the steering wheel.  
  
"Meiling-chan? Why are you wet? And in my truck!"  
  
I looked up and saw Sakura and Tomoyo standing outside the truck. I clicked off the radio, but didn't unlock the doors.  
  
"I saw what happened!" Tomoyo chirped. She told Sakura word-for-word exactly what happened.  
  
Sakura looked at me with her 'priceless' face, and I couldn't help but burst into giggles along with Tomoyo.  
  
  
  
  
$~Tomoyo~$  
  
I sighed dejectedly as I watched Sakura and Meiling trying to avoid Syaoran and Meing Yi all day.  
  
By sundown, I couldn't stand it anymore. I raced across the deck and away from my friends, stopping when I reached the dining area. I saw Eriol sitting at a breakfast table alone. He looked depressed.  
  
He looked up and smiled. "Tomoyo-chan," he said, standing as I slowly, unsurely, approached the table, He pulled out a chair for me and I sat down.  
  
"Konbanwa, Eriol-sama," I said, smiling back at him as he sat back across from me.  
  
"Master, ne?" he asked, catching my slip-up.  
  
I fought back the blush that threatened to appear across my face and tried to play it off coolly. I shrugged and smiled. "Would you prefer something else?" I asked coyly.  
  
He adjusted his glasses and I could swear he was starting to blush as he looked from me to the table. "Iie. Sama is fine," he said quietly.  
  
I giggled and an idea suddenly clicked in my head. I couldn't help but smile.  
  
I reached over and stole his glasses, putting them on.  
  
"Hey! What the-?! Tomoyo-chan! I can't see without those! Give 'em back-!"   
  
I cut him off by grabbing his hand and leading him away from the table. I left the glasses behind.  
  
"You're depressed. Wait here," I whispered, leaving him in the middle of the deck.  
  
"Nani?! Tomoyo? Tomoyo-chan! What about my glasses?! I can barely see!" he protested, irritated.  
  
I just giggled, climbing up in Sakura's truck and turning on the radio. I found a soft rock station with lots of slow songs. I silently went back to were I'd left Eriol and grabbed his hands.  
  
"There you are!" he said. He gave me an agitated look, but it didn't have the same effect without his glasses on.  
  
I giggled again and put his hands on my hips, shushing his protests. I wrapped my arms around his neck, laying my head on his chest.   
  
We began to sway back and forth.   
  
After a few songs that ended all too soon, I closed my eyes and leaned in, pressing my lips to his.  
  
He pulled back abruptly.  
  
I opened my eyes, looking up at him questioningly. "Wha-?"  
  
"Gomen ne, Tomoyo-chan... demo..."  
  
"Demo...? Did I do something wrong?" I asked, anxiously.  
  
He moved my arms back to my sides.  
  
Tears stung the back of my eyes.  
  
"Dammit... watakushi... it's not you. I like you and all, but this... this isn't right... I'm sorry," he whispered, leaning down and kissing me softly.  
  
After a few seconds, we parted and Eriol left, getting his glasses off the table in the process.  
  
I went to the truck and crawled up in the seat, not bothering to turn off the radio. Tears flowed freely down my face as I tried to figure out what went wrong. 


End file.
